Suzuki Automobile 2008 Forenza User Manual

2008  
OWNER’S MANUAL  
Keep With Vehicle At All Times.  
Contains Important Information  
On Safety, Operation & Maintenance.  
Part No. 99011-85Z04-03E  
July, 2007  
 
Prepared by  
July, 2007  
Part No. 99011-85Z04-03E  
Printed in U.S.A.  
TP222  
 
This owner’s manual applies to the FORENZA series:  
85Z001  
NOTE: The illustrated model is one of the FORENZA series.  
© COPYRIGHT SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION 2007  
 
INTRODUCTION  
Thank you for choosing SUZUKI and welcome to our growing family. Your choice was a wise one; SUZUKI products are a great value  
that will give you years of driving pleasure.  
This Owner’s Manual was prepared to help you have a safe, enjoyable, and trouble-free experience with your SUZUKI. In it you will learn  
about the vehicle’s operation, its safety features and maintenance requirements. Please read it carefully before operating your vehicle.  
Afterwards, keep this Manual in the glove box for future reference.  
Should you resell the vehicle, please leave this Manual with it for the next owner.  
In addition to the Owner’s Manual, the other booklets provided with your SUZUKI explain the vehicle’s warranties. We recommend you  
read them as well to familiarize yourself with this important information.  
When planning the regular scheduled maintenance of your SUZUKI, we recommend you visit your local SUZUKI dealership. Their fac-  
tory-trained technicians will provide the best possible service and use only genuine SUZUKI parts and accessories.  
 
SERVICE STATION GUIDE  
1. Fuel (see section 5)  
2. Engine hood (see section 5)  
3. Tire changing tools (see section 5)  
4. Engine oil dipstick <Yellow>  
(see section 5)  
5. Engine coolant (see section 5)  
6. Windshield washer fluid  
(see section 5)  
8 (RHD)  
1
7. Battery (see section 5)  
8. Tire pressure (see tire information  
label on driver’s door lock pillar)  
9. Spare tire (see section 5)  
10. Engine air cleaner / filter  
(see section 5)  
2
10  
(RHD)  
3
9
2
4
7
2 (LHD)  
5
8 (LHD)  
6
85Z022  
LHD: Left Hand Drive  
RHD: Right Hand Drive  
NOTE: The illustration is FORENZA.  
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS  
SEATS AND RESTRAINT SYSTEMS  
FEATURES AND CONTROLS  
INSTRUMENT PANEL  
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
California Proposition 65 Warning  
WARNING  
Engine exhaust, some of its constitu-  
ents, and certain product compo-  
nents contain or emit chemicals  
known to the State of California to  
cause cancer and birth defects or  
other reproductive harm.  
DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE  
SERVICE AND APPEARANCE CARE  
MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE  
GENERAL INFORMATION  
INDEX  
 
LOCATION OF WARNING  
MESSAGES  
4
13  
Read and follow all of the warnings (labels  
etc.) on your vehicle. Make sure you  
understand all of them. Keep them on the  
vehicle. Do not remove the messages for  
any reason. If a label comes off or the  
messages become difficult to read, have it  
corrected by your SUZUKI dealer.  
12  
1. Air Bag Warning Label  
2. Passenger Air Bag Warning Label  
3. Rear Center Safety Belt Warning  
Label  
11  
4. Jack Warning Label  
3
1
5. Brake Reservoir Cap Warning Mes-  
sage  
6. Cooling Fan Warning Label  
7. Surge Tank Cap Warning Message  
8. Air Conditioner Warning Label  
9. Battery Label  
14  
5
10. Emission Label  
7
11. Tire and Loading Information Label  
12. Certification Label  
13. Spare Tire Label  
14. Side Air Bag Warning Label  
9
2
10  
8
6
85Z023  
 
IF YOU HAVE ANY PROBLEMS WITH  
YOUR SUZUKI:  
If you purchased your SUZUKI in Canada  
please contact the Suzuki Canada Cus-  
tomer Relations Department by telephone  
at 1-905-889-2677 extension 2254 or in  
writing at:  
FOREWORD  
Please review the New Vehicle Warranty  
Information booklet supplied with your  
SUZUKI. Should you have a question or  
problem regarding the warranty or service  
of your vehicle, please take the following  
action:  
All information in this manual is based  
on the latest product information avail-  
able at the time of publication. Due to  
improvements or other changes, there  
may be discrepancies between informa-  
tion in this manual and your vehicle.  
Suzuki Canada Inc.  
Customer Relations  
100 East Beaver Creek Road  
Richmond Hill, On  
L4B 1J6  
Consult the Service Manager and the  
Owner of the Suzuki Automotive Dealer-  
ship. Explain your problem and ask for  
their assistance in resolving your problem.  
The Owner of the dealership is in the very  
best position to assist you as he or she is  
vitally concerned with your continued satis-  
faction.  
SUZUKI  
MOTOR  
CORPORATION  
reserves the right to make production  
changes at any time, without notice and  
without incurring any obligation to  
make the same or similar changes to  
vehicles previously built or sold.  
In the event you require assistance related  
to your SUZUKI, while temporarily travel-  
ling in either the United States or Canada,  
you may wish to contact the Suzuki Cus-  
tomer Relations Department directly of the  
country in which you are temporarily oper-  
ating your vehicle.  
If you are still in need of additional informa-  
tion, or if you are dissatisfied, request that  
your SUZUKI dealer arrange a meeting  
with your District Service Manager.  
SUZUKI  
MOTOR  
CORPORATION  
Please be certain to provide us with the fol-  
lowing information: the model, Vehicle  
Identification Number, mileage, accesso-  
ries involved, event dates, your concern,  
and any other comments which you may  
have. When we receive your correspon-  
dence, we will be pleased to contact the  
Owner of your dealership and assist in  
resolving your concern.  
believes in conservation and protection of  
Earth’s natural resources.  
To that end, we encourage every vehicle  
owner to recycle, trade in, or properly dis-  
pose of, as appropriate, used motor oil,  
coolant, and other fluids, batteries and  
tires.  
If, after doing so, you still require further  
assistance, and you purchased your  
SUZUKI in the continental United States,  
please contact the American Suzuki Cus-  
tomer Relations Department by telephone  
at 1-800-934-0934 or in writing at:  
For owners outside the continental United  
States, please refer to the distributor’s  
address listed in your Warranty Information  
booklet.  
American Suzuki Motor Corporation  
Automotive Customer Relations  
3251 East Imperial Highway  
Brea, CA 92821-6795  
0-1  
 
IMPORTANT  
MODIFICATION WARNING  
WARNING/CAUTION/NOTE  
Please read this manual and follow its  
instructions carefully. To emphasize spe-  
cial information, the symbol  
words WARNING, CAUTION and NOTE  
have special meanings. Pay special atten-  
tion to the messages highlighted by these  
signal words:  
WARNING  
Do not modify this vehicle. Modifica-  
tion could adversely affect safety,  
handling, performance or durability  
and may violate governmental regula-  
tions. In addition, damage or perfor-  
mance problems resulting from  
modification may not be covered  
under warranty.  
and the  
WARNING  
Indicates  
a
potential hazard that  
could result in death or injury.  
75F135  
CAUTION  
The circle with a slash in this manual  
means “Don’t do this” or “Don’t let this hap-  
pen”.  
Improper installation of mobile com-  
munication equipment such as cellu-  
lar telephones or CB (Citizen’s Band)  
radios may cause electronic interfer-  
ence with your vehicle’s ignition sys-  
tem, resulting in vehicle performance  
problems. Consult your SUZUKI  
dealer or qualified service technician  
for advice on installing such mobile  
communication equipment.  
CAUTION  
Indicates  
a
potential hazard that  
could result in vehicle damage.  
NOTE:  
Indicates special information to make  
maintenance easier or instructions clearer.  
0-2  
 
Vehicle Symbols  
Your vehicle has components and labels that use symbols instead of text. Symbols, used on your vehicle, are shown along with the text  
describing the operation or information relating to a specific component, control, message, gauge or indicator.  
If you need help figuring out a specific name of a component, gauge or indicator, reference the following topics:  
• Seats and Restraint Systems in Section  
1
• Features and Controls in Section 2  
• Instrument Panel Overview in Section 3  
• Climate Controls in Section 3  
• Warning Lights, Gauges and Indicators  
in Section 3  
• Engine Compartment Overview in Sec-  
tion 5  
• Audio System(s) in Section 3  
These are some examples of vehicle symbols you may find on your vehicle:  
MALFUNCTION  
INDICATOR  
LAMP  
TIRE  
PRESSURE  
WARNING  
LIGHT  
DOOR  
AJAR  
LIGHT  
WARNING  
POSSIBLE  
INJURY  
INSTRUMENT  
ENGINE  
COOLANT  
TEMP  
AIR BAG  
PANEL  
BRIGHTNESS  
EMERGENCY  
CRUISE  
CONTROL  
RELEASE  
LIGHT  
TURN  
SIGNALS  
PROTECT  
EYES BY  
SHIELDING  
WASHER  
FLUID  
TRUNK  
BATTERY  
CHARGING  
SYSTEM  
FASTEN  
SEAT  
BELTS  
TRUNK  
AJAR  
LIGHT  
SULFURIC  
BATTERY  
ACID CAN  
CAUSE  
HOLD MODE  
FUEL  
ACTIVE  
LIGHT  
DO NOT INSTALL  
A REAR-FACING  
CHILD RESTRAINT  
IN THIS SEATING  
POSITION  
BRAKE  
POWER  
STEERING  
FLUID  
BLINDNESS  
OR SEVERE  
BURNS  
SPEED  
SENSITIVE  
POWER  
HAZARD  
WARNING  
FLASHER  
OWNER'S  
MANUAL  
COOLANT  
STEERING  
WARNING  
LIGHT  
AVOID  
SPARKS OR  
FLAMES  
TRACTION  
CONTROL  
SYSTEM  
HOOD  
FUEL  
FILLER  
HIGHBEAM  
ON  
ENGINE OIL  
PRESSURE  
RELEASE  
ACTIVE LIGHT  
LIGHT  
FLUSH EYES  
IMMEDIATELY  
WITH WATER  
DAYTIME  
RUNNING  
LAMPS  
POWER  
WINDOW  
DOOR LOCK  
UNLOCK  
ANTI-LOCK  
BRAKES  
FOG  
LAMPS  
L3U0002CS  
0-3  
 
0-4  
 
SEATS AND RESTRAINT SYSTEMS  
SEATS AND RESTRAINT SYSTEMS  
1
Front Seats .......................................................................... 1-1  
Rear Seats ............................................................................ 1-4  
Safety Belts .......................................................................... 1-5  
Child Restraints ................................................................... 1-16  
Supplemental Restraint System (air bags) ....................... 1-27  
Restraint System Check ..................................................... 1-34  
 
   
SEATS AND RESTRAINT SYSTEMS  
If your vehicle does not have a sliding stor-  
age tray under the front seat, the manual  
seat bar looks like this.  
Front Seats  
Manual Seats  
(With Sliding Storage Tray)  
WARNING  
Never attempt to adjust the driver’s  
seat or seatback while driving. The  
seat or seatback could move unex-  
pectedly, causing loss of control.  
Make sure that the driver’s seat and  
seatback are properly adjusted  
before you start driving.  
N4U1001A  
Pull up and hold the lever located under  
the front of the seat to unlock it. Slide the  
seat to where you want it and release the  
lever. Then try to move the seat forward or  
rearward to make sure the seat is locked  
into place.  
WARNING  
N4U1002A  
To avoid excessive safety belt slack,  
which reduces the effectiveness of  
the safety belts as a safety device,  
make sure that the seats are adjusted  
before the safety belts are fastened.  
Pull up and hold the bar located under the  
front of the seat to unlock it. Slide the seat  
to where you want it and release the bar.  
Then try to move the seat with your body,  
to make sure the seat is locked into place.  
Manual Seats  
(Without Sliding Storage Tray)  
If your vehicle has a sliding storage tray  
under the front seat, the manual seat lever  
looks like this.  
WARNING  
Never attempt to adjust the driver’s  
seat or seatback while driving. The  
seat or seatback could move unex-  
pectedly, causing loss of control.  
Make sure that the driver’s seat and  
seatback are properly adjusted  
before you start driving.  
1-1  
 
       
SEATS AND RESTRAINT SYSTEMS  
Reclining Seatbacks  
Driver Seat Height Adjuster  
Manual Lumbar  
Your vehicle may have manually operated  
lumbar support for the driver’s seat.  
N4U1003A  
N4U1005A  
To adjust the height of the driver’s seat  
cushion, turn the knobs located on the out-  
board side of the seat cushion.  
To adjust the seatback angle, lift the lever  
located on the outboard side of the seat  
and move the seatback to the desired posi-  
tion.  
N4U1004A  
To adjust the front seat lumbar support,  
use the lever located on the outboard side  
of the seatback.  
Turn the front knob to adjust the height of  
the front portion of the seat cushion.  
Turn the rear knob to adjust the height of  
the rear portion of the seat cushion.  
Release the lever and push rearward on  
the seatback to make sure it is locked.  
Push the lever down to adjust the support  
for the lower part of the seatback. Pull the  
lever up to return the support to its original  
position.  
Pull up on the lever without pushing on the  
seatback and the seatback will move to an  
upright position.  
1-2  
 
     
SEATS AND RESTRAINT SYSTEMS  
Pull up the head restraint in order to adjust  
the position upward.  
Head Restraints  
L3U1009A  
Do not have your a seatback reclined when  
your vehicle is moving.  
75F123  
N4U1010A  
Head restraints are designed to help  
reduce the risk of neck injuries in case of  
an accident. Adjust the head restraint to  
the position which places the center of the  
head restraint closest to the top of your  
ears. If this is not possible for very tall pas-  
sengers, adjust the head restraint as high  
as possible.  
Push in the release button and press  
downward on the head restraint in order to  
adjust the position downward.  
WARNING  
All seatbacks should always be in a  
fairly upright position when driving,  
or safety belt effectiveness may be  
reduced. Safety belts are designed to  
offer maximum protection when seat-  
backs are in the fully upright posi-  
tion.  
To remove the head restraint, pull the head  
restraint all the way up. Then push in the  
release button and lift the head restraint  
from the guide sleeve.  
Replace the head restraint and reset it in  
the original position before driving.  
WARNING  
• Never drive the vehicle with the  
head restraints removed.  
The rear seat head restraints may also be  
adjusted.  
• Removed or improperly adjusted  
head restraints can result in seri-  
ous head and neck injuries in case  
of a collision.  
Push in the release button and move the  
head restraint to the desired position.  
• Do not attempt to adjust the head  
restraint while driving.  
1-3  
 
 
SEATS AND RESTRAINT SYSTEMS  
To return the seatback to the upright posi-  
tion, do the following:  
Rear Seats  
Folding Rear Seat  
1) Lift up the seatback and push it to its  
original position. Ensure that the safety  
belts are not twisted or caught under  
the seatback.  
2) Push rearward firmly on the top of the  
seatback until it latches securely in the  
fully upright position.  
Your vehicle has rear seatbacks that can  
be folded down to increase cargo space.  
To fold down the seatback, do the follow-  
ing:  
3) For the sedan model, reconnect the  
center safety belt latch plate into the  
buckle with the black button, and make  
sure that the webbing is not twisted.  
See “Rear Center Safety Belt” later in  
this section.  
N4U1006A  
If your vehicle is equipped with the tiltable  
front head restraints, do the following to  
adjust it.  
WARNING  
If the seatback isn’t locked, it could  
move forward in a sudden stop or  
crash. That could cause injury to the  
person sitting there. Always press  
rearward on the seatback to be sure it  
is locked.  
1) Place it in its upright position by push-  
ing it forward fully and releasing it.  
2) Push the head restraint forward care-  
fully until it is adjusted to the desired  
position.  
N4U1007A  
1) For the sedan model, disconnect the  
center safety belt latch plate from the  
buckle with the black button, and allow  
the belt to retract. See “Rear Center  
Safety Belt” later in this section.  
2) Push the rear head restraints as far  
down as possible.  
3) Press down on the release button  
located on top of the rear seatback.  
4) Fold the rear seatback forward and  
down.  
1-4  
 
     
SEATS AND RESTRAINT SYSTEMS  
WARNING  
Safety Belts  
Safety Belt: They are for Everyone  
This section of the manual tells you how to  
use safety belts properly. It also tells you  
some things you should not do with safety  
belts.  
A
safety belt that is improperly  
routed, not properly attached, or  
twisted won’t provide the protection  
needed in a crash. The person wear-  
ing the belt could be severely injured.  
After raising the rear seatback,  
always check to be sure that the  
safety belts are properly routed and  
attached, and are not twisted.  
S4U1008A  
WARNING  
Your vehicle has a light that comes on as a  
reminder to buckle up. See “Safety Belt  
Reminder Light” in section 3.  
Don’t let anyone ride where he or she  
can’t wear a safety belt properly. If  
you are in a crash and you’re not  
wearing a safety belt, your injuries  
can be much worse. You can hit  
things inside the vehicle or be  
ejected from it. You can be severely  
injured or killed. In the same crash,  
you might not be, if you are buckled  
up. Always fasten your safety belt,  
and check that your passengers’  
belts are fastened properly too.  
In most states and in all Canadian prov-  
inces, the law says to wear safety belts.  
Here’s why: They work.  
WARNING  
• Do not stack luggage or other  
cargo higher than the front seats.  
• Do not allow passengers to sit on  
the folded seatbacks while the  
vehicle is in motion.  
You never know if you’ll be in a crash. If  
you do have a crash, you don’t know if it  
will be a bad one.  
A few crashes are mild, and some crashes  
can be so serious that even buckled up, a  
person wouldn’t survive. But most crashes  
are in between. In many of them, people  
who buckle up can survive and sometimes  
walk away. Without belts they could have  
been badly hurt or killed.  
• Unrestrained luggage or passen-  
gers on a folded seatback can be  
thrown about or ejected from the  
vehicle in a sudden stop or acci-  
dent.  
WARNING  
Serious injuries or death can result.  
It is extremely dangerous to ride in a  
cargo area, inside or outside of a  
vehicle. In a collision, people riding  
in these areas are more likely to be  
severely injured or killed. Do not  
allow people to ride in any area of  
your vehicle that is not equipped with  
seats and safety belts. Be sure every-  
one in your vehicle is in a seat and is  
using a safety belt properly.  
After more than 30 years of safety belts in  
vehicles, the facts are clear. In most  
crashes buckling up does matter ... a lot!  
1-5  
 
     
SEATS AND RESTRAINT SYSTEMS  
Why Safety Belts Work  
When you ride in or on anything, you go as  
fast as it goes.  
L3U1017A  
L3U1019A  
Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle.  
The rider doesn’t stop.  
or the instrument panel...  
L3U1015A  
Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it’s just  
a seat on wheels.  
L3U1020A  
L3U1018A  
or the safety belts!  
The person keeps going until stopped by  
something. In a real vehicle, it could be the  
windshield...  
With safety belts, you slow down as the  
vehicle does. You get more time to stop.  
You stop over more distance, and your  
L3U1016A  
Put someone on it.  
1-6  
 
SEATS AND RESTRAINT SYSTEMS  
strongest bones take the forces. That’s  
why safety belts make such good sense.  
Question: If I’m a good driver, and I  
never drive far from home, why should I  
wear safety belts?  
Lap-Shoulder Belt  
The driver has a lap-shoulder belt. Here’s  
how to wear it properly.  
Questions and Answers About  
Safety Belts  
Answer: You may be an excellent driver,  
but if you’re in an accident – even one that  
isn’t your fault – you and your passengers  
can be hurt. Being a good driver doesn’t  
protect you from things beyond your con-  
trol, such as bad drivers.  
1) Close and lock the door.  
2) Adjust the seat so you can sit up  
straight. To see how, see “Seats” in the  
Index.  
Question: Won’t I be trapped in the  
vehicle after an accident if I’m wearing a  
safety belt?  
Answer: You could be – whether you’re  
wearing a safety belt or not. But you can  
unbuckle a safety belt, even if you’re  
upside down. And your chance of being  
conscious during and after an accident, so  
you can unbuckle and get out, is much  
greater if you are belted.  
Most accidents occur within 25 miles (40  
km) of home. And the greatest number of  
serious injuries and deaths occur at  
speeds of less than 40 mph (65 km/h).  
Safety belts are for everyone.  
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly  
Question: If my vehicle has air bags,  
why should I have to wear safety belts?  
This section is only for people of adult size.  
Be aware that there are special things to  
know about safety belts and children. And  
there are different rules for smaller children  
and babies. If a child will be riding in your  
vehicle, see “Older Children” or “Infants  
and Young Children” in this section. Follow  
those rules for everyone’s protection.  
Answer: Air bags are in many vehicles  
today and will be in most of them in the  
future. But they are supplemental systems  
only; so they work with safety belts – not  
instead of them. Every air bag system ever  
offered for sale has required the use of  
safety belts. Even if you’re in a vehicle that  
has air bags, you still have to buckle up to  
get the most protection. That’s true not  
only in frontal collisions, but especially in  
side and other collisions.  
L3U1021A  
3) Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt  
across you. Don’t let it get twisted.  
The shoulder belt may lock if you pull  
the belt across you very quickly. If this  
happens, let the belt go back slightly to  
unlock it. Then pull the belt across you  
more slowly.  
First, you’ll want to know which restraint  
systems your vehicle has.  
We’ll start with the driver position.  
4) Push the latch plate into the buckle until  
it clicks.  
Driver Position  
Pull up on the latch plate to make sure  
it is secure.  
Make sure the release button on the  
buckle is positioned so you would be  
This section describes the driver’s restraint  
system.  
1-7